Tuesday, September 13, 2016

I've been hugely fortunate in my life to do the things I've wanted to do and get paid for them.

I loved my time as an operating room technician (now called a surgical technician). I loved most of the years I practiced nursing, especially those spent in the ICU/CCU (now called the SICU and MICU) and in alcohol and drug rehab. I loved my years teaching nursing, especially my course on geriatric nursing. And I've fully enjoyed my time publishing reference and textbooks for a variety of healthcare students, from medical assisting to nursing to physician assistant students.
It's time now to switch gears and do something else I want to do. I just won't get paid for it. Bummer.

I will be retiring on September 30, 2016, and will be inactivating this blog a time thereafter.

Note: If you would like to follow my personal blog, in which I write about whatever I feel like writing about, you're certainly welcome. Visit http://dontfretnone.blogspot.com/

Thank You

I've met so many wonderful people over the years that I couldn't possibly thank them all for their many kindnesses. But here are some friends and colleagues, some living, some now gone, I'm extraordinarily grateful for having known:

Nancy Macaulay, friend, mentor, and nurse extraordinaire

Pat Schull, the best business mind I've ever known and an incredible person to boot

Nancy Webb, by far the best editor I've ever worked with

Vince Marteka, who helped refine and strengthen my writing in his warm and welcoming way

Rob Craven, Jr., for his generosity and for helping me find golf again

Nancy Dunbar, a ridiculously good nurse gone far too soon

Glenn Bricker, MD, who helped point me to a career in healthcare a waaay long time ago

I would like to express my gratitude as well for the honor of knowing and working with many magnificent authors, people who moved me through their friendship, professionalism, and dedication, Here are some of them, in no particular order:

Sharon Eagle, bravery beyond compare

The amazing and wonderful Carol Tamparo, and also her delightful husband Tom

Connie Lieseke, Terri Brame, Jackie Thelian, and Nancy Gardner, who didn't benefit from their terrific books anywhere near as much as they should have

The remarkable Debbie Sullivan

Bill Tindall, Ed Weber, and Dennis Blessing

Arlene Muller, Scott Massey, Jack Coulehan, and Marian Block

The incredible Barbara Gylys and her hugely talented daughter Regina

Gary White, a multitalented rock star

What's Next?

So, what's next for me? Well, at this point I have three adorable grandchildren to fuss over. I have many books I want to read and many golf courses to bungle my way through. Mostly I want to write what I want to write, not what someone else wants me to write, and right now that's a biography. I haven't settled on a topic yet, but I hope to soon.

First, though, I'm going to do a whole bunch of nothing for a few weeks, which actually may be the last time I'll be able to do so for many years to come. At least one can hope.